Here we have real rare ones – not only because of the movement. But the movement itself took the rareness factor too – Valjoux 237 – was built in a small batch of only 300 units made as the Valjoux Movement Chart on Wikipedia says, check out the bottom of this post about the movement.
They come with different brands on the dial and in different cases.
Lets show first the watches and then do some history. Most known of these rare Regatta watches from the early 70s are branded by Le Phare.
The Valjoux 237 has a date (here unusually at the 9 o’clock position) and a flyback function and it has 21,600 A/H. Flyback on all Valjoux 237? See the end of the page please. The chrono centre wheel probably has not just one driver for the sliding gear, but six. In the function of the watch, this is noticeable in that the disc for the minute countdown rotates a little further every 10 seconds (i.e. six times a minute).
1. C-Shape Case (caseback number 5051): Le Phare, Benytone
(5 Le Phare and 1 Benytone | status 01/2024)
Le Phare are the most known of these regatta watches in C-Shape cases.
2. Bullhead Case (caseback number 4051): Le Phare, Lorenz
(1 Le Phare, 2 Lorenz known | status 01/2024)
3. Standard Case (caseback number 3051): Airin
(only 1 known | status 01/2024)
Airin is a brand used by Dodane (Montres Dodane Airin SARL Paris, Frankreich), as Mikrolisk tell us.
First thought was – recased. But it was bought from a french watchmaker many years ago and looks very genuine, the watchmaker said: “if this watch is recased, it’s the best work he has never seen. All works perfectly. No space between movement ring and case, caseback screw perfectly, all pushers are working, dial fits perfectly in case, exactly same diameter.”
Let´s see if there will pop up some more to fit our rule “3 in a line will be a series”!
OK, back to history, brands and movement questions.
Most known of these rare Regatta watches from the early 70s are branded by Le Phare.
1. Le Phare (the lighthouse)
The “Le Phare” brand was registered in 1888 by Charles Barbezat-Baillot in Le Locle.
Charles Barbezat-Baillot and Henry Victor Jean Guye had previously founded a manufactory in Le Locle under the name “Guye & Barbezat”.
This manufactory quickly specialised in complicated watches. In those days, it specialised in calendar chronographs and pocket watches with repeaters (quarter-hour, 5-minute and minute repeaters). The company won numerous medals and one of only two diplomas of honour awarded for Swiss quality products.
Incidentally, the second diploma of honour was awarded to Patek Philippe, showing the category in which Barbezat was positioned at the time. Barbezat was a great master watchmaker and had numerous patents patented at the time and played in the same league as Patek Philippe.
Here is a picture of one of his rather complicated patents:
(Source: Le Phare)
In 1888, Barbezat registered the trade mark “Le Phare”, among others. In 1905, Barbezat renamed his entire manufactory Le Phare, the manufactory already employed 200 people and was still specialised in complicated pocket watches (repeater watches):
(Source: Le Phare)
At the same time, a Le Phare employee developed more precise automatic machines for the production of movement parts, which made even complicated movements cheaper.
(Source: https://watch-wiki.org/index.php?title=Le_Phare)
This enabled Le Phare to supply other brands with magnificent, complicated movements, including Bulova and Audemars & Freres. During the First World War, however, the company was requisitioned and turned into a military trouser factory. This angered the former founder Barbezat so much that he sold the company to Zenith in 1915. Zenith utilised the resources and know-how and sold Le Phare again in 1922.
Le Phare now moved to La Chaux de Fonds. The company continued to produce repeaters, but also wrist chronographs and sports stopwatches.
At the beginning of the 1970s, Le Phare was the second largest producer of chronographs, but was largely unknown because they were mainly sold under “private labels”. In 1974, the company was given a new name: Le Phare – Sultana SA
However, the market for mechanical chronographs then collapsed completely. The company rescued itself with creative, elegant models under the name Jean d’Eve. Today, Le Phare is owned by the Hong Kong company Renley Watch Co Ltd. However, the main building is still located in La Chaux de Fonds.
Now lets dive deeper into the interesting movement.
The Valjoux 237 has a date (here unusually at the 9 o’clock position) and a flyback function and it has 21,600 A/H.
In the Valjoux family its the one with the lowest built units: 300 only.
credit: Wikipedia
Rich from thewatchspotblog.com described the Valjoux 237 as followed:
“The V237 is an updated version of the V23. During the production cycle the beat rate of the V23 and V72 was increased from 18,000 bph to 21,600bph and the calibres were rebranded V236 and V726 respectively from then on. Other versions of the V236 were introduced with date (V234) a flyback (V235) and your calibre with a flyback and date V237.”
If all Valjoux 237 got the flyback function is questionable, as a watchmaker in a french forum stated – some Eberhard and Wakmann Chronos with V237 doesn´t have a flyback function. Maybe only the ones used for the regattas have it? We will research that.
The question in a pic: look this Wakmann with v237 on the left, it has a part missing. Why? Later built from stock of movements? Function not needed and built without?
The chrono centre wheel probably has not just one driver for the sliding gear, but six. In the function of the watch, this is noticeable in that the disc for the minute countdown rotates a little further every 10 seconds (i.e. six times a minute).
If you got more information please let us know!
Thanks so much!
Big thanks to KP for all the text basic about Le Phare and the movement plus the nice pictures and to David for all the amazing input about the movement and the watches!